Title

Author

Date of Award

7-1-2001

Degree Type

Dissertation

University or Center

Clark Atlanta University(CAU)

School

School of Arts and Sciences

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Dr. Abiodun A. Awomolo

Abstract

The purpose of this study was twofold. The first priority was to determine how relocated Somali women in Georgia addressed their political, economic, social, and psychological needs. The second priority was to determine whether gender roles changed, and how those changes impacted the lives of relocated Somali women in Georgia. This research is necessary due to the lack of literature on relocated women, especially African women, and the obstacles they face once they resettle in a country of asylum, especially in their own words. This study is significant because it documents relocated women’s experiences in their own words.

Fifty surveys and ten interviews were administered to obtain oral histories of the women’s experiences from Somalia to the United States. The research conducted under a Third World feminist framework yielded the following results. Relocated Somali women in Georgia address their political, economic, social, and psychological needs by utilizing government and nongovernment agencies, their community, and network preservation. Findings from the work suggest that relocated Somali women should be traced to further examine their progress. The findings also provide an opportunity to assess and compare the progress of relocated Somali women in Georgia with relocated Somali women in Canada, Australia, or other states, such as Minnesota.